George Michael getting treatment for anxiety after canceling Australian tour

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Singer George Michael has scrapped tour dates in Australia and will instead undergo treatment for anxiety.

Michael announced the cancellation of nine shows on his website, saying that having to scuttle his trip down under “breaks my heart.” He also says he’s been plagued by “major anxiety” since battling severe pneumonia last year.

“By way of explanation all I can say at this time is that since last year’s illness I have tried in vain to work my way through the trauma that the doctors who saved my life warned me I would experience,” Michael writes. “They recommended complete rest and the type of post traumatic counseling which is available in cases like mine but I’m afraid I believed (wrongly) that making music and getting out there to perform for the audiences that bring me such joy would be therapy enough in itself.”

While his voice has recovered and playing live shows has given him “great happiness,” Michael says he “seriously underestimated” how tough the road back from his illness would be. Michael says he will play nine concerts in the U.K. this month (which were themselves postponed when he took ill last year) and then will enter treatment.